TORONTO - It will be illegal in Ontario to smoke in a vehicle with a child present starting on Weedless Wednesday as the province joins Nova Scotia and several American states that have similar bans in place.
The new law is aimed at protecting children under age 16 from the effects of second-hand smoke, which studies show can become highly concentrated inside cars and trucks.
The Ontario Medical Association said doctors have been calling for a ban on smoking in cars with children since 2004, noting the closer people are to second-hand smoke, the more toxins they breathe in.
"First-hand smoke and second-hand smoke we understand is dangerous, and third-hand we're now learning about as well," said OMA president Dr. Ken Arnold.
"Certainly putting people with young, healthy lungs in a tin box and having someone light up just seems so unfair to those children."
Health Canada says merely opening a window won't clear the smoke from a car, and smoking while kids aren't in the vehicle isn't acceptable either.
"Extensive studies have shown there is no level of ventilation that will eliminate the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, and opening a window can result in air flow back into the car, which may cause the smoke to be blown directly back at non-smokers," Health Canada says.
Researchers found second-hand smoke can remain in contaminated dust and on surfaces, even if the smoking took place days or even months earlier, and Arnold agrees that opening a car window won't help clear the air.
"The ventilation systems in our automobiles just aren't up to that," he said.
"The smoke still swirls around in there, and the concentrations are 25 times higher than they would be in the open air."
Ontario drivers who refuse to butt out while transporting their kids or other young people could face fines of up to $250.
Premier Dalton McGuinty had initially opposed such a ban, saying it was a slippery slope that infringed too much on people's rights, but he changed his mind last spring after a government backbencher introduced a private member's bill in the legislature.
British Columbia has passed a ban on smoking in cars when children under 16 are present, but it is not yet in force.
New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are considering similar bans, with the P.E.I. legislature expected to take action this spring.
The U.S. states of Maine, California, Arkansas and Louisiana have passed similar laws, as has Puerto Rico.
Smoking is already outlawed in Ontario workplaces and in public areas such as bars and restaurants.
The OMA said the new ban will act as an important tool for educating the public about the dangers of second-hand smoke.
"I would imagine there would be very few charges laid under this," Arnold said.
"I think it's a matter of talking about it and educating people about the risks and encouraging people to quit (smoking) altogether."
Arnold said people do quit smoking in response to government restrictions, and he expects that trend to continue following a promised public awareness campaign about the ban on smoking in cars with kids.
"More people have chosen to quit smoking since they've no longer been able to smoke at work," he said.
"This just keeps that (idea of quitting) in the forefront of people's attention."
The New Democrats say the law should prohibit smoking in cars with people up until they reach the age of 19, when they are legally able to purchase cigarettes, while the Progressive Conservatives have said the new ban would be hard to enforce.
However, Ontario Provincial Police have said the ban won't be difficult to enforce because they already inspect vehicles for seatbelts and child car seats.
The Wednesday of National Non-Smoking Week is dubbed Weedless Wednesday and has been since government anti-smoking initiatives started in 1977.
